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​Kyrylo Budanov: russian Shahed Drone Production Plants Prove Difficult to Destroy

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Early 2025 Shahed modifications / Photo credit: The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine
Early 2025 Shahed modifications / Photo credit: The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine

Ukraine faces three key challenges in targeting these facilities

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, has outlined three primary reasons why russian Shahed production facilities are hard to target. Speaking to Novyny.LIVE, Kyrylo Budanov explained that the plants’ remote locations, robust protection systems, and enormous size pose significant challenges for any attack.

Firstly, the facilities are situated in remote areas, which complicates operational planning and execution. Secondly, these plants are safeguarded by powerful electronic warfare systems and air defense, with the added difficulty of breaching the first line of defense along the frontline. Finally, the sheer scale of these complexes, spanning several kilometers, further hinders efforts to inflict decisive damage.

Read more: ​CSIS Estimates Cost-Effectiveness of Shahed drones, Missiles to russia: What Conclusions Can Be Drawn

Kyrylo Budanov also highlighted a critical limitation in the current arsenal: drones, while effective against point targets, carry only a limited payload and are ill-suited for destroying large area targets.

“We need missiles for that, and our missiles currently do not have the range,” he noted.

Despite these hurdles, Kyrylo Budanov confirmed that russia continues to produce a large number of the Shahed drones, though he did not provide specific figures. This production capacity underscores the strategic importance of these facilities and the challenges faced by Ukrainian forces in countering them.

Read more: ​How Ukrainian Military 'harvests' russian Lost in Location Shahed-type UAVs and What's New in These Drones